WHAT ARE PRODUCTIVITY ROUTINES?

Olympic athletes have routines that they use daily to maintain peak performance and put themselves into “game-time” mindset during competition. Productivity routines are a quadrant of CozyMind’s 4-part performance diamond and a broader term that encompasses all routines that support personal productivity.

IMPORTANT TERMS

Routine: sequence of actions regularly followed

Productivity: producing or doing what you intend to do

Productivity Routine: all routines that support personal productivity

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF USING PRODUCTIVITY ROUTINES?

Why use productivity routines? How can they help you day-to-day?

First off, productivity routines save you time. Productivity routines also save you mental stress and hesitation. How? If you are consistent about a routine to prepare for a specific task (such as starting work), you will turn what started as a conscious habit into a subconscious habit (a Pavlovian response). This means your routine will allow you to be mentally prepared for your task without effort, saving you time in the long run. Indeed, our feelings of readiness, clarity, and excitement/desire impact how quickly and how well we accomplish a certain task. Any productivity routine inherently supports your mental readiness. Phenomenal productivity routines increase readiness, clarity, and desire to complete a certain task or project.

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM USING PRODUCTIVITY ROUTINES?

Productivity routines save you time, reduce mental stress, and limit thought distractions. In other words, adding productivity routines into your life will aid you in boosting personal performance and relieving stress. While everyone can benefit from using productivity routines, certain demanding jobs and lifestyles benefit more than others.

Examples of those with demanding jobs that would benefit from utilizing productivity routines in their day-to-day are:

•       Entrepreneurs and small business owners

•       Engineers and scientists

•       Lawyers

•       Consultants

•       Program and project managers

•       CEO’s

•       Doctors and medical staff

•       Executive assistants

•       Computer scientists, coders, and engineers

•       Data scientists

•       Actuaries

Examples of those with busy lifestyles that would benefit from utilizing productivity routines in their day-to-day are:

•       College or graduate students

•       Single parents or parents with full-time jobs

•       Competitive athletes working full-time jobs

•       Pilots, flight attendants, and other jobs that require frequent travel

*Note these lists are not exhaustive.

HOW TO CREATE PHENOMENAL PRODUCTIVITY ROUTINES!

#1) Select An Appropriate Task

While we have routines for many things in our lives, you'll want to create thoughtful routines for tasks that will give you “the most bang for your buck” throughout the day. Make a list of tasks you do or projects you work on often. Also, list tasks you would like to start doing more consistently that are in alignment with your personal goals. From the tasks on your list, select the top three you think will give you the greatest return on investment and the most benefits over time. Alternatively, you can create routines for yourself based on our CozyMind coaching program.

In our 8-week CozyMind group coaching program, we work on four primary productivity routines:

•       Work start routines

•       Work shutdown routines

•       Morning routines

•       Evening routines

#2) Set A Time Limit

Now that you know which task you are creating your routine for, let’s discuss timing. First, consider your goals with the task at hand. Would your goals best be served by a routine before you begin your task or after you begin your task? Next, decide how much time you'd like your routine to take. Two to five minutes? Ten minutes? Thirty minutes? You get to choose. Keep in mind the elements you'd like to add to your routine when you decide how long you'd like your routine to take.

#3) Add Your Steps

It’s time to tap into your creativity! Think of things that you already do to support yourself in accomplishing the task you’ve selected. Think of steps to take that inspire you, provide clarity, eliminate distractions, make you feel ready, and connect you with your intention. Be clear. Be inspirational. Be intentional.

#4) Keep It Simple

Nobody wants to add unnecessary complexity to their life. Make your routine easy and fun to do by keeping it simple! Only have three to four steps in your routine. Generally, we are only successful at remember three to four things. Thus, make sure your productivity routine is easy to remember. If you can eliminate a step to your product routine, do! When you are tired, you'll take the path of least resistance. Make sure each step in your routine has a purpose or benefit that inspires you to act, otherwise you won’t do it. The best productivity routines are simple, sometimes so simple that they seem stupid.

✔️ INTERESTED IN PRODUCTIVITY ROUTINES FOR YOURSELF? CHECKOUT OUR GROUP COACHING PROGRAM! 😎